One of the best things about being a tradeshow gypsy is meeting all the wonderful people along the way. I have traveled the globe and have friends all over the world because of shows! I am a very fortunate gypsy!Meeting these people has given me lifelong friends and business alliances.

I have met people in the line for coffee at a Conference Center Starbucks that I am still in contact with, and I have also cut a sales deal at the Chicago airport while on a delay. Making acquaintances is not very difficult, it takes a smile and a hello, that’s it; what takes work is establishing the relationship that will be long-standing. Take the time to follow-up with people all the time, when you haven’t spoken with someone in a long time, so what, say hello! Find them and let them know you thought of them today and catch up on what is going on in their life and career.

Having business contacts is a valuable asset to any one in business at any level, the one thing that makes our jobs easier is to have people we can count on to help us or listen to us when we are struggling and share in the successes.

Extend your network with social media and stay active. Sometimes you feel like you are talking to yourself, and then one day you get a message from someone that says, I saw your post, or read your blog and you have a new contact!

Shows are a great way to make so many new contacts in such a short amount of time, at all levels and functions, not to mention markets. Learn something new from all your contacts, listen to them, ask them sincere questions and people will want to talk to you. One of the error’s that I see people make that turns away others is they walk up and “tell” the other person about “their” business and what “they” should be doing offering “constructive” criticism (NOT!).

For some reason shows attract many experts that want to tell groups how the business should be run, instead of listening to what the groups are doing and taking note of the direction the company is going. Having opinions is always a prerogative of an individual but knowing when to offer them is the nuance to having a good experience with a contact that you can reach out to or someone that will delete your message or not answer your calls.

Exceptional people make my job such a passion that I hope to always have a career that is involved with shows at whatever level.

Today is a special day because I lost an exceptionally great colleague today who also happened to be my neighbor after I moved into a house that unbeknownst to me was next door to his and I sat in an office right across from his. He was an exceptional engineer and encouraged his staff to be innovative and was a very good teacher. He always had a great smile and laugh! He will be missed by many people. But I am very glad that I was able to have known him as a professional colleague and a friend! DW – you are always
rememberd!

Never miss the opportunity to connect!

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